1. Technology Field
The invention generally relates to a data protection method, and more particularly, to a data protection method adapted to a rewritable non-volatile memory and a memory controller and a memory storage device using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with the widespread of digital cameras, cell phones, and MP3 players in recently years, the consumers' demand to storage media has increased drastically. Rewritable non-volatile memory module (for example, flash memory) is one of the most adaptable storage media to aforementioned portable multimedia devices due to its many characteristics such as data non-volatility, low power consumption, small volume, and non-mechanical structure.
A rewritable non-volatile memory module usually includes a plurality of physical blocks. Each physical block comes with an upper limit on the number of erases. If this upper limit is exceeded, data stored in the physical block may be lost or may not be kept for a long time. The service life of a rewritable non-volatile memory module is going to end if data stored in its physical blocks cannot be kept. Thereby, how to protect data stored in physical blocks that have their erase counts over the upper limit, so as to prolong the lifespan of a rewritable non-volatile memory module, has become a concern in the industry.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the present invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention, or that any reference forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.